062516-LoHaH III: Godtier
Leiko: Leiko sits up and stretches a little bit. "Alright, I think I'm ready. How about you?" Nyarla: Nyarla's still on the edge of the bridge, staring hard into the blood below. "...yeah." Leiko: "Alright then. Shouldn't be too much longer." She gets up and starts crossing the bridge. Nyarla: He waits until she's a little ways passed him before he slowly rises. Trudging along a bit less enthusiastic than before. Leiko: "Did you pull a muscle or something, Nyanya?" Nyarla: "I didn't pull a muscle, but someone's gotta pulling my leg. Shit's kind of going to hell in a hand basket elsewhere." "It'll sort itself out though." Leiko: "Eek. Your friends not doing well on their lands?" Leiko makes a face, "I wasn't really expecting you to come here alone, you know. Or at all after we learned you died, but you know how things go... Did they abandon you?" "Or... wait I think I asked about this..." She rubs her head. Nyarla: "I think they'll do fine...maybe. And I wasn't abandoned... not totally, anyway." "Are you okay? Deja vu?" Leiko: "Deja Vu is probably the better way to put it. Sometimes I worry I'm supposed to exist in all timelines at once, and its kind of scary that I wouldn't be able to stop that from happening." "Don't worry about it though." Nyarla: "That...sounds like a thing to worry about." "How does one even exist in all timelines at once?" Leiko: "Haha! I know! It's a headache just thinking about it!" "Its my best guess though. Since Deja Vu is supposed to mean that I've already been there, but I don't remember actively having been part of the event I'm recalling." she shrugs. Nyarla: He also shrugs. "Time shenanigans are wonky, yo." Leiko: "Tell me about it." As you're walking, the corridors start getting darker, and you can see a bone or two scattered across the floor. Nyarla: "Do you know wasp's up with the bones?" Leiko: Leiko shakes her head. "I've heard that Mother likes to escort those who've fallen in battle when their Time is up." Nyarla: "Can you tell me more about her?" "I remember you're not her biggest fan and the consorts look to her as a goddess." "I don't know if I'm walking towards a loving embrace or divine wrath, hehe." Leiko: "I mean. She's the one that told my father to leave. Told him he was essential to the scratch. It might not be true that he was, but I know that only a Time Player can activate part of what is needed to begin the scratch. Even having a part of their body can work around it, she had said, but since he was alive, he had to go. And he did." "Maybe I'm unrightfully angry at her. I just... Hated being abandoned here. It wasn't his fault. I don't like playing into the stupid title of this land with those feelings. Its a lot of conflict, you know?" Nyarla: "I hear you. I suppose that's just the way it goes though, you being the Heir, inheriting the way of this land. It's important to remember who you are though, you don't have to let that control you." Leiko: "I think I was too young to have any sort of identity to cling to, if I'm honest. This land has shaped everything." Nyarla: "That more than makes sense. I mean, you wear their colors and even donned that mask to fit in. Being aware of this though, why not remove them?" Leiko: "Is being an individual that important though? I think if I was so strange to begin with, they would have simply sacrificed me to the land and thought nothing of it. Its easier to say you're Mother's Messenger, or something like that to assure you stay alive, right?" Leiko gently kicks one of the bones to the side, and it clatters into the wall. Nyarla: "To me, that individuality is one of the most important things. Knowing that whatever mark you leave on others or the world is your legacy. At times it seems necessary to compromise that for sake of a greater good, but to forsake it entirely...What's the point of being just another cog in the machine? I can't find any joy in that kind of existence." Leiko: "But that's what we are. Even you. You come here, even after your usefulness as a Cog in this machine is gone, and you seek out new meaning with your bent and broken prongs. You search for something that can hammer you back into strength, rather than melt you down into something new. When we go to get this bed remade, you'll be rejoining the machine. Its a machine that saves your friends, so it can't be that bad, right?" Nyarla: "I don't derive meaning from this machine, I'm far too ambitious for that.This is one of those compromises I mentioned. And when we're done here, when my friends are saved, when this game is over, I'll probably walk off into the sunset all dramatic like and never be seen again. Until then, I'll play the role I'm given, but this won't be my whole existence." "I'm not bent or broken, I just wasn't made for this machine. I'm the square peg to these uniformly round holes." Leiko: "You're dead though. How would you say you aren't broken?" She frowns Nyarla: "I'm still standing before you, flesh or ectoplasm or whatever." Leiko: "That's because you're a Time player though. Probably." Nyarla: "My body is broken, both of them are. One was cut into pieces and the other was aged to death. But my spirit is too strong." "I could have been wiped from existence at any time. I still can, but I haven't yet. Until then, I'm Nyarla Aesona, not just the Mage of Time or the Timekeeper or The Imperial Betrayal or anything anyone else tells me that I am." Leiko: "I think its more like... Its okay that you died, as long as you existed somewhere in Time, its at least good enough for this Land. Or something like that." "I'm not really good at all this deep thought though, I think." She continues walking, the number of bones beneath your feet increasing. Its not long before you see full skeletons just laying about in the corridor. Nyarla: He's subtly trying to avoid crushing any bones underfoot. "You said Mother 'escorted' them?" Leiko: "I mean, that's what they call it." Nyarla: "Leaving their bones strewn about a hallway is hardly an escort. Though Mother wouldn't be first person I meet who loves to leave bones lying around." Leiko: "You know someone with THIS hobby?" Leiko glares in a slight bit of shock Nyarla: He shrugs. "Trolls are just like that sometimes." Leiko: "I guess." It isn't too long before you come across another closed door. You can see the place for the key, but there is an enormous pile of bones blocking the doors from actually being opened. Nyarla: "Sheesh. Ever heard of spring cleaning?" He's talking to no one in particular as he starts wading through the pile of bones. Leiko: "Are you okay though? You've been kinda... uh..." she grabs her own arm nervously. "I don't know. Just a little bit more closed off, like you went backwards on your timeline." Nyarla: He glances back at her and tries for his best disarming smile, but falters and sighs. He turns back to the door as he pulls the bones away from it. "I've uhh, got a lot on my mind is all." Leiko: The bones topple into several other piles, covering the floor entirely. "I mean, you've got an entire land to shout it out to." She gestures to the bones on the floor. "I don't think they'll judge you." Nyarla: He plucks a random skull from the floor and acts as if he's speaking to it, rather than her. "My ex shacked up with our team's worst enemy. Said worst enemy is making plans to kill us all or worse, no, and worse. A couple friends are in some pretty dark places right now. And I'm double dead and here trying to find myself while shit goes to hell out there." Leiko: "That's... " Leiko sighs. "I think this game does that to people." She tries to help move the piles of bones away from the doors. Nyarla: He tosses the skull away from himself. "Tell me about it." "What do you remember about your father?" "Like, do you remember what he looked like?" Leiko: "He was tall... his eyes were very dark. Was a big fan of hoods." She shakes her own a little bit. "He told me once he used to have a really neat headdress until someone broke it, but that never made sense to me. I never saw him wear jewelry. His skin was paler than yours, but it was kind of similar? How do I put that... It was... Maybe if you had spent a lot of time somewhere without light, you might look like that. He had big hands and long fingers. It was the kind of grip that made you feel like you would never get lost!" She smiles. "You probably would have liked him." "Oh!" She holds out her arm "Like, I'm paler than he was, but kind of like this." Nyarla: He's listening intently, subconsciously reaching for one of his horns at the mention of a broken headdress. "He sounds pretty swell." He holds out his arm for comparison to hers. "I'm not surprised you both are so pale. This planet doesn't get the most light out of those that I've visited." Leiko: "I KNOW. And its crazy to think there's all these ridiculously vibrantly colored bird people up there just chilling out in the dark, murdering each other. No big deal. bright and bloody. Fun times, fun times." She kicks a few more of the skeletons away from the door. "I think... we can at least get this side open..." Nyarla: "They mite have evolved the bright feathers to see each other. There'd be less blood if they couldn't find their enemies and god forbid the Hatred planet not be dark and edgy." He diligently inserts the key, unlocking the door. Leiko: "Right? You would think the game would think of something better than that. Unless its gonna like, spit some binary at us that shouts 'sometimes old formulas are good formulas'. Maybe a few exclamation marks for good measure." The door opens easily, and you look like you're in the entryway of a home that was built into a cavern. The time displacements seem to stop at the threshold. Nyarla: "Hahaha, yeah." He knocks loudly on the open door before he takes a step inside. Leiko: There's no answer. Before you, everything is in shades of red. The little carpet in the entryway, the deep red stained wooden furniture. The ground is still a cold and gray hematite, but all around you can see signs that someone has tried to make this their home. You're noticing the scale is a bit off as well. You feel like a child here, the ceilings are well beyond your reach and everything is just... made for something bigger than you. Nyarla: "For once, I feel like I'm dressed innapropriately." He gestures to the blue jacket he's wearing. Leiko: "I'll blame you for my clothes then, too." She wraps her cloak around the stolen blue garb she's been wearing. "Red enough, probably." She winks. Nyarla: He blows a raspberry at her, stepping further into the room and calling out. "Uhhh, MOTHER?" Leiko: still no answer. Nyarla: He looks around for any rooms splitting off from here where she could be. Leiko: There are several rooms, all of which look like they haven't been touched in ages. There is one that is locked, however, and the lock on it looks very different from the key you have. Nyarla: He closes the door. He can't believe he'd be rude enough to leave it open. "Should we start searching rooms?" Leiko: "Sure, where are you thinking?" Nyarla: "For the key to the one that's locked." He points to it. Leiko: "Oh that's smart." "Okay, so which room do you want to do? Or do you want to split up? Or what?" Nyarla: He shrugs, "There's no rush and two sets of eyes are better than one..." Leiko: "Alright. Let's do... a kitchen?" Nyarla: "As good a place as any." He begins the search, looking for the kitchen. Leiko: The kitchen is simple to find, as it is the first right you can make. The counter tops are quite tall, and it looks like there was a recently set dinner on the table at the end. Nyarla: He vanishes in a flashstep, reappearing on the counter top. He uses his new vantage point to look around for the key. Leiko: You don't see a key from here, but you can see what is on top of the table. It looks like a steel plate of red meat. Probably the reddest you've ever seen, sitting in a pool of red, which you can only assume is blood. You also spy a dark gold-ish colored goblet that seems familiar. Nyarla: He looks at the plate and the blood, then thinks back to the bones outside and decides to not think about that anymore. He eyes the goblet, trying to remember where he must've seen it before. Leiko: Lore works fine. Nyarla, that's a troll horn that's been modified into a goblet. Looks like it belonged to someone older than you, considering how MUCH gold is there, and you know the longer the horn, and the older the troll, the more of that golden color there is. Nyarla: He eyes the horn for a long moment, not certain he's likes the look of this. He hops down from the counter. "No key." "But I mite be getting a few keys to some personal mysteries that I really don't want solved." Leiko: "Personal mysteries?" Leiko asks. Nyarla: "That I really don't want solved." "With my luck, it'll be clear soon." Leiko: Leiko frowns. "I mean, answers are good, but you're making it sound like they're bad." "Maybe we should stop looking..." Nyarla: "I'd agree to that, but we still have a bed to fix... I just...need a moment." He leans against the cabinet. Leiko: "Okay! We have Time in all sorts of meanings of the phrase. I'm gonna look down here." She opens a cabinet. Nyarla: He's going to make his way towards the table, climbing his way into the chair and then on top of the table itself. Leiko: You successfully climb up the table. The scale for this is really just as if you were a toddler going around normal furniture, so you don't have to try too hard. Just had to make sure a chair was there for leverage, and then make your way up top. Nyarla: He's going to lay a hand on the goblet. focusing on it to peer into it's past to try to uncover its origin. Leiko: You briefly see yourself on your knees before you feel a horribly painful sensation in your left horn, only for it to leave as quickly as it came. Nyarla: He's reeling backwards, nearly walking himself off the table. His eyes are wide with shock as he clutches at his left horn. He takes a minute and a number of deep breaths to regain his self. Climbing his way back down to the floor. Leiko: Nyarla is safely on the floor. Leiko stops poking around the cabinet. "Woah, are you okay?" She rushes over to him. Nyarla: He steadies himself against the table leg. "y-yeah...Just...Those personal mysteries I was talking about." Leiko: "They sound terrible, nyanya. Like, you look like you got hit with a trebuchet. Not just the ammo, the whole contraption." Nyarla: "I...I think I'm starting to understand what you meant...about existing in multiple times at once. At least two..." Leiko: "I mean, we will always exist at every point in time that we have and will. Any other times, we obviously can't. I think its supposed to be a gift that we can see these things, but I am not entirely unsure its not because of how this land is set up. You know that people believe that ROCKS can store memories? Ridiculous." "Still, based on geography, people say they can see ghosts of the past." Nyarla: "Well...goblets made of troll horn can." "At least, I can see them through those goblets." Leiko: Leiko sighs. "I guess that'd be enough to spook me too." Nyarla: "Let's just find that key, yeah?" "Shall we search the next room?" Leiko: "Sure! Uh..." Leiko points randomly. "That looks like it might be a bathroom of some variety, but I don't think we should go in there if whats on the table is what I think it is..." Nyarla: "Why's that?" Leiko: "I just think if food mysteries are bad, the mysteries at the other end will be worse." "Its a reasonable thought, right?" Nyarla: "I mean, I think Mother would flush, but that's fair." "Let's find out if a bedroom is open." Leiko: "Okay." Nyarla: He wanders into one of the bed rooms at random. Leiko: The bedroom that you walk into looks like its quite cozy. The comforter on the bed and the pillows are both stuffed with down feathers. A luxury, for sure. There is a large mirror on a deep red vanity across the room. There are several dead houseplants. Nyarla: He wastes no time in attempting to climb up the vanity. Vantage points are important. Leiko: He is successful in climbing up the vanity Nyarla: He surveys the room for sight of the key out in the open. Leiko: You see, just slightly below your feet, one of the drawers of the vanity ajar. Nyarla: He gets to work trying to pry the drawer open from on top of the vanity. Leiko: it slides open easily. Must be those newfangled easyglide drawers. Fancy. You slip and tumble back down to the floor. For a moment, you thought you glimpsed a key tied with a red ribbon. Nyarla: He's going to climb back up again for a second look. Leiko: You make it there with ease. Nyarla: He's going to grab the key and make his way back down. Nyarla: He brandishes the key for Leiko to see. "I think this is it." "Should we stop by any other rooms before we get on with meeting Mother?" "I wanna say there may be more clues or something, but I also just want to stall, honestly." Leiko: "Eh... I wouldn't even know where to start. And if you're going to be asking her a favor, stealing doesn't seem like it'd be... helpful." "Not that I haven't THOUGHT of it a bunch..." Nyarla: "Stealing is not on the agenda here, trust me..." "I'm in enough trouble as it is." He makes his way out of the bedroom and to the locked door. Leiko: "Nyanya... wait..." Leiko fastwalks to catch up. Nyarla: He stops in place. "Yeah?" Leiko: "Look, I know we all have secrets, and I don't know what nonsense Mother is going to try. I've heard that Denizens are tricky and will only tell you half truths..." "I don't expect you to tell me everything about you cause honestly, who has time? I mean we have time, but you KNOW what I mean." "I just... I don't know... Maybe its a gesture of trust? Or maybe when you were talking about being an individual... I don't know. I just kinda... Got this feeling that I needed to show you." "Or maybe I should ask you first. Would you rather I stay under this mask and hood? Or do you think I should go in there as myself and not as some sort of bird pretender?" Nyarla: "Hehehe. You already know what I think. I'd rather you took it off. If only so I can really see my partner here for myself." Leiko: She takes off the hood and mask. "Not very bird-like, I know." Nyarla: "Not particularly bird-like, no. A bit similar to some other species I know of though..." Leiko: "Alright. Well... Its... now or whenever I guess." Nyarla: "About those personal mysteries of mine. I've been here before." "Er, will have been here before." "Erm, am here now whereas I would have been here before." Leiko: "Something like that..." "Time is a hot mess, Nyanya." Nyarla: "Agreed. Point is, I'm here now. And I'm pretty sure I'm about to lose my horns." "That 'goblet' that was on the table is actually one of them." Leiko: Leiko cringes. "I mean... I guess there are worse things, right? Its not like your teeth are little corncob holders." Nyarla: "Yeah, I have a hunch I'll make it out of here...even if it's without my pride," He touches his left horn, "and my joy." He touches the right, making fake sniveling sounds. Leiko: "You named them? That's so... conceited? I like it! I'm going to name my breasts when we get out of here." She gestures to the door. Nyarla: "Heh. Have fun with that...when we get out of here, I think I'll take to wearing hoods." He unlocks the door with the new key. Leiko: The door unlocks easily, and inside is a study that is devoid of books. Instead, bones, rocks, mounted fossils, and all other sort of artifact are around. There is a large desk illuminated by a bright light, and an incredibly tall woman behind it, peering at a skull that also looks familiar to you..... under a magnifying glass. Nyarla: "...Dearest Mother?" He eyes the skull, though he already has a few ideas about who's it is. Mother: Oh you don't need to roll. You would know that skull anywhere. After all, its yours. The tall figure stands up from its chair, hovering over you. Half of her body is dead, and the other youthful. You spy a hummingbird in her eyesocket. "Hero of Time. You made it." Nyarla: "I'm sorry to have come so late, Mother." He gives a low bow. Leiko: Leiko stands straight and folds her arms. Mother: "I know why you're here. No need to be so pleasant." Nyarla: "Why I'm here is no secret, but the least I can do is be courteous before making any big requests." He rises, standing up straight. Mother: "Politeness means expecting a deal to go well. You can probably assume what I will ask of you. Though I think you misunderstand my memorabilia." Leiko: Leiko nudges Nyarla and whispers, "I guess she knows how this is going to go already? Time people are so weird..." Mother: You notice as Mother moves around, her hair clanks together, much like the hematite you've gotten used to on the land. Nyarla: "I admit, ideas have flitted through my mind about your...memorabilia, but I'm trying not to make any undue assumptions." Mother: "I suppose we can't make assumptions, you're correct. Tell me what you are here for then, we'll play this out like any other time." Nyarla: "I wanted to ask for your aid. Your help in repairing my Quest Bed." "That way I mite ascend and be able to save this land from the Endtimes...as well as hopefully the whole incisiphere.." Mother: "I have met many of you across Time." She grabs the skull of another you off her table and holds it aloft. "You are dead. You will always be dead. It is the truth of this Nyarla. Each time I must take something in order to grant a portion of this whole wish. Is this wish for you? Is it for your acquaintance? Do you really believe you can save everyone you care about?" "This Nyarla failed." She tosses his skull at him. Leiko: "Okay but THIS Nyanya is here in spite of death and is doing a pretty good job to be honest." Nyarla: He catches the skull, staring into it's eyeholes before dropping it and looking back up at her. "I am dead, yes. Yet I am here all the same. Bodies may die, but those who master time have been labelled...inevitable." Mother: "Inevitable like the troubles they bring." Nyarla: "A trend I would see broken." Mother: Mother stretches her hand out and summons a staff of red gears. Everything around you stops, even Leiko. It is just you and Mother speaking now. "Child, You have two choices. I know you believe yourself important and wish to rejoin your friends to save this Land and all of the others. To perhaps win this Game and move on with your lives. " The hummingbird in her eye escapes and flits about. "You have a chance. It is there..." "In a singular timeline in which the bed is repaired, you succeed." "In almost all the timelines where you seal yourself into this world and die with it... your friends succeed at a rate of 75%." Nyarla: He gulps. "Only a single timeline where we succeed?" "Or I remain here...and they likely succeed," Mother: "And I have seen..." the bird returns to her eye and folds itself in, becoming an egg. "That other child has told you of her trouble." Nyarla: "Her search for her father...It's me, right?" Mother: "Her father is not on this land, but he is in this session." Nyarla: "...oh." "I don't know if I should be relieved or panicked." Mother: "I suppose it depends on what conclusion you've settled on. Just know that your choice is to live or to die. Both for the sake of others." "To put it simply, the easy route is to die. The hardest route is to live. By living, you may get the chance to see the next world with your friends. You become a God. But the easy route for your friends is if you die." She smiles, "What are your morals? Do you value hard work? Do you value determination? Or do you value concepts like self-sacrifice? Was it explained to you what succeeding at your land even was?" Nyarla: "I value them all. I live by a code of hard work and battling the odds. But when others come into play, concessions sometimes must be made for the sake of the whole... To succeed at my land is to perpetuate the cycle of Hatred on this land, right? Let the bloodshed continue so that it may replenish the land?" "To bring peace is to bring the end of their way of life. Or at least, their connection with the land." Mother: "That is true. This is also a Time land and is valuable due to the game mechanic known as the scratch. Sealing it off will limit what options your friends have regarding a second chance. This land will continue going the way it is meant to. Death is a part of life, and Time is fair to all. Nobody escapes Time. It delivers us all to the same end." Nyarla: "So I'm needed for them to complete the Scratch? To remain is to doom them. Does that seventy five percent chance count for the inevitable Jack?" "It's possible that I could send Leiko in my stead." Mother: "No, it accounts for the other Time land, abandoned by your human player." Nyarla: "I don't know where her allegiance lies." He seems lost in thought for a long moment. "What can you tell me about the Alpha timeline?" Mother: "Do you mean the timeline in which there is a Nyarla that is alive and not endangering his friends?" "Heh, I don't even know that I believe in that kind of timeline anymore." "A Nyarla that doesn't go through hell? Nonsense." Mother: "Through Hell, yes. Well, no, that Nyarla spoke with me also." Nyarla: "Oh? What'd he say?" Mother: "He accepted my deal. He came to realize that he was taking the wrong risks up until that point. I granted him something additional to help on his journey due to this insight." "Its fair to say that I am the obstacle for that timeline." Nyarla: "I've come to realize that as well. Countless Nyarlas should have." Mother: "Then you know what to ask and what your path is?" Nyarla: "No. I only know that I have much to learn still, but that I'm finally on my way. I've taken easy roads to get what I desire, just as I've taken harder routes. I would never know which path was correct until I reach the end. Save for adhering to this "Golden Path." Mother: "Perhaps the answer is simple enough." "Do you want to die?" She looms over you. Nyarla: He looks up at her. "I wasn't asking myself if I want to die, but rather, If I should." Mother: "You're an important factor in this as well. Don't forget your own wants. That child didn't" she gestures to Leiko, still frozen. "I imagine this isn't the most calm of situations for you. Would you like a moment to speak with her?" Nyarla: "Yes, please." "Choosing between what everyone wants and what I want isn't easy." Mother: "Just know she omits important things." She waves her staff again quickly, the hummingbird in her eye hatching from its egg and time resuming around you. Leiko: "Its surprising how competent he is, really!" Nyarla: "Leiko, it's fine." Leiko: "Hm?" Mother: "I will be in the kitchen if you need me. I trust you know where it is." Nyarla: He nods to the denizen. "She's already spoken to me. But I'd like to speak to you before we continue." Leiko: "Whaaatttt? I got Timestopped? Rude." She folds her arms. Nyarla: "Hehe, nicer than all the other Time users around here except us, trust me." Leiko: "Sounds like you haven't met my dad then..." Nyarla: "I might have, maybe not." "Tell me though, what do you want most?" Leiko: "I want the chance to see my dad. Or at least keep going on with other people who can help me find him. I don't want to be trapped here." You notice her foot tapping. Nyarla: "What would you do given the chance to meet him?" Leiko: "I don't know, what does any kid want? Some hugs? Maybe do some cool Time stuff together. Go visit a bunch of lands that DON'T have birds on them?" Nyarla: "What if he wasn't the man you thought he was?" Leiko: "I don't know. I guess I'd be sad. Maybe angry. But at least I'd know, right? Instead of guessing until I died in birdland." "I don't know. Maybe I'll punch him when I see him. He left me here. ALONE. ALL THIS TIME! Maybe he DESERVES that!" "There has to be more than this, though." Nyarla: "There's always more to it." "Always..." Leiko: "How would you feel if you were me?" Nyarla: "I wouldn't know how to feel. To dedicate my life to a search or a goal with everyone telling me no. No, not to dedicate my life. To have that as really the only option. To find this man I only have memories of or to die on this war torn rock. That bullshit is for the birds, literally in this case." Leiko: "And I think the other players for this session would be sad to lose you. I'm only one person missing my dad. Imagine however many people missing you." Nyarla: "Self sacrifice on my part has never really been warmly received, I've learned that lesson a while ago." "I'm not very well liked, you know." Leiko: "Why?" "I mean, you're a little rough around the edges, but I hear that's a Mage thing." Nyarla: "I've made a lot of mistakes in trying to find my way." "I'd go into them, but we don't have that kind of time." "Hehe, we do, but let's not.” "I've been having somewhat of a crisis of identity as a bumble through this session. All my choices have had negative consequences in some form, whether or not I've been right or wrong." Leiko: "So you don't trust yourself?" Nyarla: "I'm one of the few that I do trust, actually. Though at times that wavers." "The thing is. I know my wants and I know who I am. I know what's expected and required of me. I know where I've messed up in the past what led to it. I'm self aware enough to know the mistake as I make it." "Yet I carry on." Leiko: "Its all you can do sometimes" she nods. "I could have given up." Nyarla: "Giving up is lame." Leiko: "Then we have to keep going!" Nyarla: "But what if giving up would actually make things better?" "I seen things from the sacrifice angle before, it's shit and nothing good has come of it." Leiko: "You can't know until you're on the other side of a decision like that." Nyarla: "The reason it's failed in the past is that someone always jumps in the way and falls on the sword." "And then I catch hell for it." Leiko: "Like the other players? They don't sound so smart..." Nyarla: "It never fails. It's the reason I'm allowed to come back from the dead for this planet." "Fuckers always want to act noble whether or not it's actually smart." He sighs. "But I'm the same." "They could at least have the decency to not jack my moment." LoHaH (GM): "I mean, I'm glad for the chance to get off this stupid rock personally, but really? And then there's all that pressure about 'not letting them down'. Wow. Do you all have a weird deathwish?" Nyarla: "I'm not even worried about them honestly." Leiko: "Look, if we get out of this place, we'll both be god tiered, and we'll be better than them. If they abandon you or try to throw themselves in front of stuff, you can come hang out with me." "We can just look for my dad and go do fun stuff." Nyarla: "That's another thing, Leiko." "My Choice aside, cards on the table. Someone's twisting my arm to not let you off this land." Leiko: "What?" Nyarla: "That worst enemy that my ex hooked up with." "He aims to torment me. By forcing my hand to harm you." "'He plays a lot of mind games, so I don't put much stock in his word, but he's made the case that you and I have history." Leiko: "I'll accept that risk. You probably won't be able to get past my shield for a while yet." Nyarla: "Supposedly, I'm the one to abandon you here." Leiko: "Why?" Nyarla: "To go Scratch. He's waiting on my to drop you off and meet him there." "If I don't trap you here, he claims he'll lay waste to the session." "Not that he hasn't already, that asshole." Leiko: "Right, so... how long were you at least contemplating stabbing me in the back..." "Eh, nevermind. I don't care." Leiko turns her back to you. Nyarla: "I wasn't. I was considering sending you in my place and trapping myself here." Leiko: "That sounds really stupid though. I was hoping you'd come with me so I had a friend. At least one, you know?" Nyarla: "Trust me, I don't want to be left here." "I won't be." "I'm far too ambitious that the ultimatum given by the denizen wasn't a choice at all." Leiko: "Follow your heart, and when in doubt, your stomach. Or something." Leiko scratches behind her horns. "I'm bad at this pep talk stuff, sorry nyanya." Nyarla: "I don't need a peptalk. I just need your response before I give Mother my answer and waltz off to Godhood." Leiko: "Oh wait, I think I do have an idea. What if we play bad enforcer, good enforcer? I go in there and throw a bunch of stuff around and she can do her stupid freezy thing again so nothing breaks. Maybe she'll be more likely to give you a better answer?" Nyarla: "You really think that'd work? What'd that even get us?" Leiko: "I don't know. It'd make me feel good." Nyarla: "If you want to throw things around, fine. But I'm really trying to avoid a fight with the Time Goddess with multiples of my skull." Leiko: "Why would she have so many?" "Or even one, really..." Nyarla: "It's part of the ultimatum. Stay here and die, nobly sacrificing myself for the greater good. Or she repairs the bed and I have to try to make this the single timeline ever to succeed with me in tow." Leiko: "Sounds like a lot of you have done that with no success if she's got a bunch of your skulls." "Which I feel like I should have known something about?" "Its not like I haven't been here." she folds her arms. Nyarla: "Time shenanigans, I can only assume." "Unless you were too young to remember." Leiko: "Neat on one hand, annoying on the other. Double-edged aspect. Ugh." "Maybe. I can't deny that's a possibility." Nyarla: "We'll find out, I'm sure." "At least, I might. Depending on whatever time paradox is going on with you." "Or just the all timelines at once thing." Leiko: "I like the twist that I'm secretly like a million years old so I can drink finally." Leiko shrugs. "Stress is hard. I'm attempting to be funny. Sorry." Nyarla: "It was funny." "And I mean, if you exist in all timelines at once, you should totally be allowed to compound all that time of existing." Leiko: "Yes. Timeplayer privileges. You owe me a drink, Nyanya. We're gonna get out of here, ideally together. And I'll get you a drink if you want one." Nyarla: "Of course I do." "After all this shit that doesn't stop keep happening." Leiko: "Right?" Leiko sighs. Nyarla: Nyarla also sighs. "Shall we stop stalling? My Choice is already made and you know the real choice I'm struggling with." Leiko: "You do you. I'll wait. I'm pretty good at it, after all this time." She waves him off. Nyarla: "It's not concrete on whether or not you're my daughter. If you are, I'm proud of you." He leaves the study to catch up with the Denizen. Mother: Mother is waiting in the kitchen, a small picture frame in her hand, the horn cup in her other. Nyarla: He's silent, attempting to see the picture in the frame. He shrugs at not having a good angle to see it with. "Ahem." He clears his throat. Mother: "Ah, Nyarla." "You've discussed your strategy, then?" Nyarla: "Kinda?" Mother: "You seem unsure. Do you need more time? Many other lands don't have the luxury of Time when it comes to these decisions. If you must utilize it, please do." She sets the frame down on the wooden table, its contents facing down, no longer visible. Nyarla: "It's not that. It's just that I don't have a proper strategy for this. I don't really think I need one?" "This choice. You knew it wasn't really a choice for me right?" "You had me at first, but when you asked if I want to die is when I knew what my answer would be." Mother: "Oh?" The hummingbird flits out to the door of the kitchen, freezing a snooping Leiko. Nyarla: "I was focused on what should be, rather than how I want things to be." "I don't know what should be." Mother: "Expectations are simply that, its true. But you are lacking a final piece of information." Nyarla: "Would you care to share?" Mother: "You have knowledge of the outside threat to your choice." "You lack the information to call the bluff." Nyarla: "This is true." Mother: "You may keep this. But once I give this to you, the next words you speak to me MUST be your choice. Do you understand me?" She slides the frame to him across the table. Nyarla: He eyes the face down frame for a long moment, clearly hesitating. Nyarla: After what must be a full minute of staring down the back of the frame, he picks it up. Mother: Its a family photo. You see a young leiko, with itty bitty little nubs, She appears to have a brother as well. You also see your denizen. And finally your eyes rest on who you can finally confirm is the father. In this photo is Jack. Nyarla: He's silent for another minute as he stares at the photo. As if in awe. He sighs heavily before meeting the Mother's gaze again with confidence in his eyes. "I choose to Live." Mother: Mother nods. "Very well. And thank you for granting my daughter's wish. I hope it isn't too troublesome for you in the future." Nyarla: "We can hope." Mother: "In return, I do need one thing from you." Nyarla: "What might that be?" Mother: "Painful for you, but silly for me. I have three of your horns as cups right now. I would like to complete the set. You can also tell your friends that you fought me and survived." Nyarla: "...Heh. Hehehehehe. I almost forgot that was a part of this." Mother: "Left or Right." Nyarla: "Ugh. You know. They're really important to me? Can we do the actual battle instead?" "We can spar, and if one just happens to get knocked off, it gets knocked off." Mother: "If you insist." (( this would unfortunately, consist of her freezing time for you, lopping off your left horn, and then hitting you over the head with her staff. )) Nyarla: He's writhing in pain, cursing to himself. "Fuuuuuuuck fucking shit. So much worse than I though.t" Mother: "The bed is repaired." The little hummingbird flies back to its nest in her eye. "You and Leiko are free to go. And I recommend freezing the end of that horn with your powers so that you'll feel it later when you can get medical attention." Nyarla: "My goddamn horn!" "D-down to the nub!" Mother: "My cup. The tissue is most pliable if its alive. Why do you think I've not just used ones off those skulls?" Nyarla: He hisses loudly. "Shiiiiiit." Mother: "I'm going to the workshop. Your questbed is actually out in my garden." She turns and leaves. Nyarla: "Thank you." He hisses through his teeth. After a few minutes of suffering he finally gets up...and his new found lack of balance sends him tumbling off of the table." Nyarla: When he recovers from the additional pain of the fall, he does freeze the wound as Mother suggested. Nyarla: He takes to using the staff as a crutch, to compensate for his lost balance as he makes his way out of the kitchen. Leiko: Leiko finally unfreezes and panics when she sees your horn is missing. "WHAT EVEN HAPPENED?!?" Nyarla: "I told you I'd probably be losing them." "And now the other has to go if I ever dream of walking upright again." Leiko: "Just the one. Weird look for you, but it could be worse." Nyarla: "Fuck." Leiko: "Did she tell you where the bed was?" She tries to give him some extra support. Nyarla: He readily accepts the support. "In the garden." Leiko: "Okay, so I know a bunch of stuff has happened, and this probably isn't the best time, but you remember our promise, right? I go first?" She helps lead him to the back of the hallway, up some stairs into a rock garden. A red bed is off to the right, surrounded by lovely glittering hematite bushes. Nyarla: He shifts his weight back to the staff instead of her. "I remember, go right ahead." Leiko: "Killing myself. Oh boy." She rolls her eyes. "Not fun." "Thank you Nyanya. You're the best." Leiko stands on the bed and grabs a bomb from her side, and lights it. "Its always small bombs, isn't it?" Nyarla: "Uhh, don't destroy the bed" Leiko: "Don't worry" She swallows the bomb. Nyarla: "You're hardcore." Leiko: She gives a thumbs up before a very pained expression, and falls to a lump on the bed. Nyarla: He winces at the expression. That can't be fun. Leiko: Leiko glows a bit and rises up in fancy new jammies. She coughs a lot "your turn." Nyarla: "Heh, yeah." He steps up to the bed and slowly, ever so slowly reaches out a hand to touch it. Leiko: Nothing happens. "Uh. Try... I think the gesture still needs to be made." Nyarla: "Hey, I just made the choice to live." He climbs onto the bed. "Small bomb?" Leiko: "Sure!" She tosses him a little bomb. Nyarla: "I've died twice already. I shouldn't hesitate the third time around." He preps the bomb, tossing it back down his gullet. Leiko: The death happens! You black out for a brief second, but come back to the comforting tick of your own personal pumpbiscuit. Glowing brightly, you are wearing super rad jammies. Heck, these probably aren't Jammies. And you have WINGS. That's just weird. "Neat!" Nyarla: He gives the wings a test, lifting himself off the ground. "I can get get used to these." Leiko: "They do seem nice." Leiko simply floats. Nyarla: He checks his phone, wondering if the same message was sent out for him as for Aaisha and finds..."Oh no." Leiko: "What's wrong?" Nyarla: "I failed." Leiko: "How was this the wrong answer?" Nyarla: "Like I said. All my choices have negative consequences, no matter what I pick." He sighs. "My friend put his lives on the line for me to be allowed to do my quest. Here I am. I reached Mother. I made the choice." Leiko: "You did all those things. That's true." Nyarla: "This was a bid for my life. What is this fresh fuckery? I go or he does?" Leiko: "That's crazy? That sounds like a terrible deal." Nyarla: "And now the whole session is about to turn on me." Leiko: "That's awful Nyanya. You should come with me." Nyarla: "Hey Leiko, we shouldn't fly off into Skaia right yet." Leiko: "What? Why?" Nyarla: "I already told you, I can't allow you off the planet, not yet. We've come this far, I just need to smooth a few more things out before we can go. I had a plan in the works even." "Though," He looks back to his phone. " It may have hit a snag." Leiko: "A plan, you say?" Nyarla: "That hit a snag." Leiko: "That sucks." She tries to do a flip in the air. Nyarla: "The Scratch is coming and I was formulating an extraction plan so that you wouldn't get wiped." Leiko: "Oh. That's nice of you. " Nyarla: "Don't need that anymore, since you can fly off to wherever when the time comes." "That aside, I need new plans, like figuring out how the hell I'm going to revive Eribus." Leiko: She gives a thumbs up "That's easy. You're God Tier now. Just rewind him to being alive." Nyarla: "...I feel...dumb." Leiko: "Why?" Nyarla: "It can't truly be that simple, right?" Leiko: "What do you mean?" Nyarla: "There were circumstances and rules. He traded his selves to allow a ghost to play the game. I call hax on this deal thing anyway, given this ending..." Leiko: "There might not have been a good ending. Maybe they threw you away like trash.""They don't sound like they've been nice to you, Nyanya.""Who killed you anyway?""Or MAYBE they're lying. What if they're lying, Nyanya? After all, you were dead and a ghost and you got to do things. Maybe they're fine too!" She loop-de-loops, "Wow this is great!" Nyarla: "Don't worry, I haven't given up hope yet.""The meanness s a two way street. Everyone's got their own feelings.""We just don't mesh too well."He drifts to the ground. Leiko: She covers her mouth "Join the Dark Side Nyanya. We will make our own blanket fort, with hookers and blackjack." Nyarla: "Tch. Maybe that's all there is for me." Leiko: "They punish you for being a hero!" Nyarla: "They punish me for doing it 'wrong.'""I guess blanket forts are an option.""Blackjack, hookers, and leaving them to go fuck shit up elsewhere.""Fuck shit up in a good way, I mean." Leiko: "Seriously, like if someone doesn't want me around, then they don't get to experience the magic that is Leiko. Mostly bombs.""Sometimes fireworks though.""And needles. I like needles." Nyarla: "I don't really have the choice of just vanishing. Existing is kind of a team effort in the game.""Oh, speaking of team...you should probably meet them." Leiko: "I don't know, they sound like jerks if they're just killing off your friend cause you decided to live and become powerful.""Isn't that like, basic instinct?" Nyarla: "There's more to it, I just haven't found what that is yet. They're jerks from my perspective, but I'm one from theirs. You'll only be able to decide for yourself if you meet them." Leiko: "Hrm... I guess."Nyarla: "Do you have a phone? Computer?" Leiko: "Nope. Huts.""Birds weren't really uh... intelligent" Nyarla: "I would make a bird brain joke, but that's below me." Nyarla: "Catch." He holds out his staff in her direction, a phone appearifying out of thin air. Leiko: "Sweet.""I used to be really great with computers when I was a kid." Nyarla: "I bet.""So I guess you already know how to work it and figure out the trollian app without too much difficulty.."Leiko: "Don't know anything about Trollian." Nyarla: "Well...first thing first you need a handle, it's how someone will recognize you if they want to chat." Leiko: "Hmmmm. How about...petitPocketwatch" Nyarla: He shudders at the thought of a PP handle. Leiko: "Cause you know. The pocketwatch my dad gave me!" Nyarla: "That's not a bad handle...picking the perfect one often takes some deliberation though." Leiko: "I mean, I like this one fine, and I've already typed it in." Nyarla: "I guess if you're suuu-oh okay then." Leiko: "Yep!" Nyarla: "Okay, I'll be candid. That ol' 'worst enemy' goes by a handle with the same initials. Nothing wrong with it, just expect due suspicion I guess." Leiko: "Weird. Well, I'll make sure to clarify I'm different." Nyarla: "Yeah, that ought to do it.""Did this phone come with a chumlist?""I just kinda of snatched it out of the future, I didn't have time to check for that kind of thing." Leiko: "I don't see one.""Okay, I think I see where to add them. What's your handle?" Nyarla: He starts typing something into his own phone, pestering her with a list of handles with names beside them. All of the handles he has. Nyarla: "That's me and that's everyone I've had contact with over Trollian." Leiko: Leiko adds them all in. "You know what. We're safe here for a while. Let's just... rest. It's been a long while and I just died. Don't know about you." She sticks her tongue out. Nyarla: "Yeah, I'm with you. Still have impending hell to thwart, I need a plan of action. I wouldn't message all of those handles right away. Really there are only a handful I'd advise against contacting.""Scarlet, Vigil, and ...Jack." Leiko: "I'm going to avoid all of the double consonants." Nyarla: "Hehe, you can do that if you like." Nyarla: "Hmmm...since we're having a not so happy resolution...""Er, somewhat happy, somewhat not happy, rather." Leiko: "Time is a double-edged aspect, nyanya" Nyarla: "Yeah?""What about it?" Leiko: "The good and the bad things have to happen, and having the power to prevent or cause them makes you the most responsible person ever. So you can either care so much your hair falls out." She touches her head, "Or you can stop giving a crap.""Ideally there's a balance, but you know.""Anyway, I'm going to sleep.""You do you stuff." Category:Leiko Category:Nyarla